Hike the Peak Divide Trail! BLM Sponsors National Trails Day Event

In honor of National Trails Day, the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Cody Field Office will lead a guided hike on the Peak Divide Trail to the top of McCullough Peak on Saturday, June 2.

Hikers of all ages are invited to the event which is intended to build public awareness of recreation opportunities on public land in the area and show how hiking can make a healthy impact on the lives of those who participate.

BLM’s Recreation Technician Lisa Marks and Wildlife Biologist Destin Harrell will lead the hike, and describe the natural history of the area. Many sagebrush songbirds and plants can be found along the trail and will be identified throughout the hike. The trail winds through two miles of badlands on the southern edge of the Wilderness Study Area, offering spectacular views of the McCullough Peaks area and the Bighorn Basin. The four mile round trip is moderately strenuous, with elevation ranging from 5,800 to 6,442 feet.

Hikers will meet at the Cody Kmart parking lot, 2121 17th St. at 8 a.m. and caravan 12 miles to the trailhead. The event is free and participants will get a chance to win a variety of door prizes. Hikers are reminded to bring water, a sack lunch, and sunscreen, wear clothing appropriate for the weather, and hiking boots. Binoculars and cameras are also a good idea. For more information about Cody’s National Trails Day celebration, contact Lisa Marks at 307-578-5942.

National Trails Day is coordinated nationally by the American Hiking Society and locally by the BLM. In addition to the event in Cody, thousands of similar events will be held nationwide and enjoyed by over one million Americans. For more information about the National Trails Day effort or additional events, contact the American Hiking Society at 301-565-6704 or visit www.americanhiking.org.